From Democrats.com:
I have confirmed reports that Kerry wants to filibuster Alito, and he is talking to his colleagues to round up the 41 votes he needs.
Only two Democrats (Ben Nelson and Tim Johnson) support Alito. Only two others (Mary Landrieu and Ken Salazar) say they oppose a filibuster, but are expected to vote against Alito.
So right now, without the support of any Republicans, we still have 41 possible votes for a filibuster. There are roughly 6 moderate Republicans who should also be targeted (Lincoln Chafee, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Bob Smith, Olympia Snowe, George Voinovich). And we should work as hard as we can to persuade Landrieu and Salazar that a vote against Alito is meaningless if they don’t support a filibuster.
More details soon, but keep calling the Alito 8!
Awesome!
One of the most amazing and uplifting experiences I’ve ever had was to go to Seattle to see Jesse Jackson, Jr. speak during Al Gore’s 2000 campaign.
He had us ALL chanting, “KEEP HOPE ALIVE!” It was the best feeling … 🙂
KEEP HOPE ALIVE!
Bad news: apparently Johnson D-S.D. and Byrd D-W.VA. are now indicating they will support Alito. The Byrd affirmation is a little less sourced, but both are being reported.
I just heard that Byrd is voting for Alito. WTF.
I knew at his age that he might someday lose it. If he votes for Alito I guess that day has sadly come.
Byrd is now listed as a ‘Yes’ on C-SPAN2.
Foul words
Foul words
Foul words
Just heard the same via NPR. Truly, wtf?
I just logged in to ask the same question – WTF is up with Byrd!?!
I don’t think there will be a filibuster. From what I’m hearing, Sen. Byrd is going to vote to confirm Alito.
heads girl! He’s stepping up to the plate, we have to step with him!
I’m all for Kerry attempting to filibuster, but with so few Dems we need every one to support the filibuster – let alone not support Alito.
going to get away with doing this shabby and not having to fight. They looked at the polls and saw that many Americans are barely aware of Alito and what Alito really means, so they thought they could shrug off this fight. I’m not saying that you are wrong in the lay of the land right now, we only need 41 though and votes have been known to change in the Senate when certain pressure have been brought to bear……at least it has been that way for many many Republicans these past five years. We are the Army that Kerry has to go to war with. I guess we are the Army he has, many battles have been won by the ‘little’ army or the army that was supposed to have lost. Let’s make some history!
We have someone who has said YES to the fight so we are going to have to fight with him. Get on those phones soldiers. At Democrats.com (which I don’t belong to but have attempted to sign up on and waiting) in the comments it is reported that upon calling Debbie Stabenow’s (MI) office they were told that Stabenow was not for a filibuster. She needs some phone calls…..lots of em!
Aye, aye, General Tracy
While we have to generate the pressure on all Senators, the decision to filibuster (or not) will also be a leadership decision.
Call the Leadership Offices!
Harry Reid, NV Democratic Leader (202) 224-3542
Dick Durbin, IL Assistant Democratic Leader (202) 224-2152
Patrick Leahy, VT Ranking Member Judiciary Committee (202) 224-4242
CALL YOUR SENATORS! (And those that need a spine implant):
1-888-355-3588
or
1-888-818-6641
If Repug, tell them “No” to Alito; if Democrat: FILIBUSTER!
If the Washington lines are busy, the Senators’ home office numbers and fax are listed here: CONTACT YOUR SENATORS (Click here)
For extra credit, use the same numbers to call all the 2008 Presidential candidates who are sitting Senators – Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold – and tell them to either LEAD THE FILIBUSTER or FORGET ABOUT YOUR SUPPORT. You can also send that message to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (202-224-2447) and the Democratic National Committee (202-863-8000).
Polls and public opinion are another way to apply pressure — get word out about why Alito needs to be filibustered:
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. (Click here)
People for the American Way has collected nearly 65,000 signatures to send to the Senate, please add yours: Save the Court Petition
John Kerry has endorsed this anti-Alito petition, signers’ names will be read into the Congressional Record:http://www.johnkerry.com/action/alito/
What do they think we are, stupid enough to think that a no vote without a filibuster means anything?
Dems…
who the “idiots” are and Kerry is taking a risk here within the party and we already know that the rest of em hate his guts up there. He has a whole bunch of people sitting on the fence, I think they have a picket up their asses by now and are having a hard time getting off of it! They need a little pushy pushy! They need to know we are all watching every move they make!
It has been a long time since we have had a “good” win under our belts. Let’s make damn sure that losing hasn’t become so familiar to us that we afraid to leave it behind!
E-MAIL
# Fax your letter to my Charleston office at 304-343-7144;
# Call my Washington office at 202-224-3954. If you leave your name and telephone number, your call will be returned as soon as possible;
# Call my Charleston office at 304-342-5855
I just called the Charleston office. Got my comment in and then luckily my cellphone broke up so if they asked for a zip code I didn’t hear it.
Maybe we should, um, have a W. Virginia zipcode to, well, borrow?!
to me too
I’ve ran into that zip code crap before. This is what I say:
“You are a US Senator. Your vote affects all Americans and I am an American. If I am not in your state it does not make a difference to me OR YOU. After all you do accept Out Of State Contributions don’t you?”.
Who exactly are the Alito 8 and what are their contact numbers?
(Hoping someone has a handy list I can put in an e-mail.)
I believe the names are all mentioned in the main post above.
I knew there really was little hope of a filibuster. BUT…for any DEM to vote yes for Alito is beyond the pale. If the other dems cannot pursuade their own people to vote party line on this I regretfully will call it the death of the party. I called my Senators office but what good does it really do anymore. Senate aides were saying that they are not hearing anything from their constituents on this. What a bunch of Bullcrap!
If Kerry manages to pull this off, it could go a long way towards redeeming him for his stupidity during the 2004 campaign.
If he fails, especially if he fails because of Democrats voting for Alito, it’s meaningless. In fact, I’d say it’s highly likely that he knew it would fail in this case, and only made the announcement to attempt to gain some good PR with the netroots.
In fact, I’d say it’s highly likely that he knew it would fail in this case, and only made the announcement to attempt to gain some good PR with the netroots.
I’m so cynical of Kerry now, that was my first reaction.
I have a hard time believing that he didn’t know exactly how each Senator would vote..
Specter is asking for a vote right now.
yes yes yes!
and we can hang it on this: it is entirely appropriate to extend debate on this nomination until we get somewhere with the spygate hearings. given alito’s support of the “unitary executive,” his nomination is inextricably linked with shrubya’s extralegal domestic surveillance.
some excellent arguments were made in this bootrib diary:
a democratic staffer !@#$%& gets it!
and don’t forget the wisdom of Mark Crispin Miller:
“A no vote is a yes vote, unless you filibuster!“
Here is my very incoherent letter to smith, typos and all. I was barely awake when i wrote it and still not all there now. But if any of it is useful, please help yourself. I chose the example of the Arctic Refuge because Smith actually stood up for that; tailor examples to your Stepford Senators’ pet causes. It was suggested that it would make good LTE fodder as well:
the Dems will be prepared to vote on Alito. The more time that goes by gives us time to apply pressure to Senators who are balking the filibuster or voting in approval of Alito.